Detergent holder



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April 24, 1934. K. M. UHRI DETERGENT HOLDER Filed April 18 Patented Apr.24, 1934 DETERGENT HOLDER Katherine M. Uhri, St. Louis, Mo.

Application April 18, 1932, Serial No. 605,825

3 Claims.

My invention relates to the use of soap, scouring cakes, steel wool,either loose or in cake form, and similar detergents and the inventionconsists in a holder for the detergent which may be readily applied tothe fingers of the user and will protect the same from injury withoutaffecting the manipulation of the detergent in the usual way.

One object of the invention is to protect the skin of the user frominjury due to the chemical or physical properties of the detergent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suitable receptacle forthe detergent material wherein it may be kept when not in use.

Other detailed objects are apparent from the following description of mydevice and its use and from inspection of the accompanying drawingillustrating a preferred form of the invention in which 2 Figure l is anelevation of one face of the device.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the same taken on the line2-2 of Figure l.

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections on thecorresponding sectionlines of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the face opposite to face of Figure 1.

Figure 6 indicates the method of using the device.

Briefly, the device consists of a flexible strip such as a sheet ofrubber having elongated rubber elements of semicircular cross sectionapplied to one face thereof and forming therewith suitable pockets forreceiving the end portions only of the thumb and one or more fingers ofa hand of the user, the opposite face being adapted to grip thedetergent and preferably provided with a pocket to receive the detergentmaterial when the device is not in use. The fiat strip 1 is preferablyprovided with a reinforcing bead 2 extending around its periphery andthe finger and thumb receiving pockets 3 and 4 are oppositely disposedat the two ends of the strip and that portion of the outer end of eachpocket extending outwardly from the fiat strip is preferably reinforcedby a suitable bead 5 whereby the pockets are maintained in the openpositions indicated whereby the fingers and thumb of one hand may beslipped into place in the device without the use of the other hand andthe usual delay and tugging accompanying the application of the ordinaryrubber glove.

The opposite face of the strip is preferably pebbled or roughened, asindicated at 6, imme- .,-5 diately opposite the finger pockets 3.

is applied to the lower portion of the front face of the strip andcooperates therewith to form a pocket 8 in which the detergent may beretained when the device is not in use. A hole 9 at the upper end of thedevice adapts the same for W hanging on a nail or hook and holes 10 atthe lower end of pockets 8 and 4 serve to drain water from the device.

Figure 6 illustrates a typical use of the device in which a cake ofscouring material 11 is gripped between the thumb and fingers of theuser which are protected by the device. The ends of the pockets aresubstantially alined with each other and with the ends of the fiat sheetand the ends of the finger pockets are close together. The 7 strip maybend freely intermediate the opposing ends of the finger and thumbpockets so that the thumb and fingers of the user may be manipulatedsubstantially the same as if the device were not used.

The use of the device illustrated will avoid injury to the skin such asfrequently attends the handling of strong soaps and scouring materialsand particularly the use of steel wool, fine particles of which arelikely to be embedded in the skin causing discomfort and. infection. Thedevice requires little material and can be easily made to sell at anominal cost and may be hung over the wash stand or sink or work benchto drain liquid from the detergent and to avoid 8o fouling the usualsoap dish and its contents.

The details of the device may be varied and some of the featureseliminated without departing from the spirit of my invention and Icontemplate the exclusive use of devices coming within the spirit of myclaims irrespective of modifications in structure which may be suggestedin its commercial development.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a flat strip of flexiblematerial having on one side opposed pockets for receiving individuallythe tips only of the users fingers and thumb, said pockets constitutingexclusive means for holding the device on the hand whereby said deviceis adapted to be folded at any point intermediate said opposed pocketsto grip detergent material.

2. A device as specified in claim 1 which includes stiffening elementsextending from the fiat strip for holding the outer ends of the pocketsWide open to provide for ready insertion of the fingers and thumb of onehand of the user without the use of the other hand.

3. In a hand protecting device of the class de- M scribed, a flat stripof flexible material, elongated elements of semicircular cross sectionapplied to one side of said strip to form therewith a series of pockets;said pockets extending longitudinally of said strip, being parallel andcontiguous to each other, having their outer ends closed andsubstantially alined with each other and with one end of said strip,with their inner ends open, and being of a length to receive the tipsand first joints only of the fingers of the hand of the user with suchtips in the position assumed when opposing the thumb to grip an object;a single element on the same side of said strip forming therewith aseparate pocket extending longitudinally thereof with its closed outerend alined with the other end of said strip and with its open inner endopposed to said first mentioned pockets to receive the first joint onlyof the users thumb; said strip being free of attaching meansintermediate said opposed pockets and flexing freely to permit doublingthereof along any transverse or diagonal line intermediate said pocketswhereby the hand to which it is applied may assume its normal objectgripping position with the tip of the thumb opposing the tips of all ofthe fingers to manipulate a detergent or like body substantially thesame as if no protecting device was used.

KATHERINE M. UHRI.

